Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Spring in Winter
Out leafletting tonight, in the gusting winter winds, I met a resident in Spring Vale asking about when his road is going to be fixed. There are so many pot-holes in it that driving down it is like riding through a fairground funhouse on a penny-farthing, so I will make some enquiries with the Council tomorrow and find out more.
Last night another resident rang, this time about the traffic problems on Highfield Road. What was once a quiet residential street has been turned into a nasty rat-run, partly because of the apocalyptic traffic nightmare that is Prestwich Village, with its half-dozen sets of traffic lights in 500 yards. The situation is made worse by the decision to build the Radius apartments with nowhere near enough parking spaces, and to build a loading bay for M&S with its entrance at one end of the street. All this has left the road (which, let's not forget, has a primary school on it) akin to a car park, and more than a tight squeeze for the residents, rat-runners and unwise HGV drivers wishing to get down it. Wing mirrors have a life expectancy of about quarter of an hour, I'm led to believe...
The Council installed a chicane to try and slow down the rat-runners, which has worked to a certain degree. Unfortunately, they placed the warning sign so close to the actual obstacle that many drivers don't know they're approaching it until they're at it. Cue lots of reversing and road-blocking. I contacted Cllr O'Hanlon, and we will try and get something done about this.
The resident also wanted me to check on bin collection times. Our Lady Of Grace school is on Highfield Road, and often the parents and children are forced off the pavement by bins waiting for collection. I was asked to check that the bin men themselves aren't coming along with their wagons at busy times and making the situation even worse. I emailed Mr Morris, the Council's Head of Waste Management, who replied within 10 minutes saying that bin crews plan to avoid school busy times on their rounds. So, thanks to Mr Morris and his very speedy response, we have an answer for our resident.
Rick
Last night another resident rang, this time about the traffic problems on Highfield Road. What was once a quiet residential street has been turned into a nasty rat-run, partly because of the apocalyptic traffic nightmare that is Prestwich Village, with its half-dozen sets of traffic lights in 500 yards. The situation is made worse by the decision to build the Radius apartments with nowhere near enough parking spaces, and to build a loading bay for M&S with its entrance at one end of the street. All this has left the road (which, let's not forget, has a primary school on it) akin to a car park, and more than a tight squeeze for the residents, rat-runners and unwise HGV drivers wishing to get down it. Wing mirrors have a life expectancy of about quarter of an hour, I'm led to believe...
The Council installed a chicane to try and slow down the rat-runners, which has worked to a certain degree. Unfortunately, they placed the warning sign so close to the actual obstacle that many drivers don't know they're approaching it until they're at it. Cue lots of reversing and road-blocking. I contacted Cllr O'Hanlon, and we will try and get something done about this.
The resident also wanted me to check on bin collection times. Our Lady Of Grace school is on Highfield Road, and often the parents and children are forced off the pavement by bins waiting for collection. I was asked to check that the bin men themselves aren't coming along with their wagons at busy times and making the situation even worse. I emailed Mr Morris, the Council's Head of Waste Management, who replied within 10 minutes saying that bin crews plan to avoid school busy times on their rounds. So, thanks to Mr Morris and his very speedy response, we have an answer for our resident.
Rick
# posted by Richard Baum @ 19:52 
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Blimey lad - out gallavanting when there's work to be done!
Labour were out canvassing St Mary's with their strange crew last weekend - you have some work to do to catch up.
Luckily Mrs Wiseman's lot don't know Prestwich exists, although Mr Morris was out with his bucket & spade on Spring Vale a little while back!
Labour were out canvassing St Mary's with their strange crew last weekend - you have some work to do to catch up.
Luckily Mrs Wiseman's lot don't know Prestwich exists, although Mr Morris was out with his bucket & spade on Spring Vale a little while back!
There has to be some gallavanting - even when there's work to be done!
Hopefully the Spring Vale repairs will be put on the agenda after the Area Board on Tuesday. I like your name - Action does indeed equal votes, which is one of the reasons why we'll hopefully have Spring Vale on the way to being sorted within a week.
In terms of canvassing - there's time yet. Little point in asking the voters their intentions when nominations for the election haven't opened yet and the campaign haan't even started. I'm sure we will more than match Mr Morris and Cllr Grime come May, and the campaign is sure to be an iteresting one, with lots of local issues where we all differ.
Rick
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Hopefully the Spring Vale repairs will be put on the agenda after the Area Board on Tuesday. I like your name - Action does indeed equal votes, which is one of the reasons why we'll hopefully have Spring Vale on the way to being sorted within a week.
In terms of canvassing - there's time yet. Little point in asking the voters their intentions when nominations for the election haven't opened yet and the campaign haan't even started. I'm sure we will more than match Mr Morris and Cllr Grime come May, and the campaign is sure to be an iteresting one, with lots of local issues where we all differ.
Rick
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